FIFA 2026 | Ronaldo and Portugal pay '21' tribute to Diogo Jota after R32 win

Cristiano Ronaldo, after Portugal's dramatic 2-1 win over Croatia in the FIFA World Cup 2026 Round of 32 on Thursday (Jul 2), paid tribute to former teammate Diogo Jota who had died last year. The Portugal captain and his squad posed with Jota's number 21 jersey in an emotional scene following the gripping victory that sent them through to the next round. Ronaldo, who wore the number 21 jersey himself while conducting post-match interviews, admitted the timing had left the entire squad reflecting on the loss of their teammate, who died in a car crash a year ago this week.

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Ronaldo and Portugal remember Jota after R32 win

"The coincidence of life, it's unbelievable," Ronaldo said, describing how the milestone weighed on the team before kickoff. "We knew it before the game. It was a so special moment. We speak today, our group, about that, the coincidence of life. It's unbelievable."

Portugal coach Roberto Martinez echoed the sentiment, saying the win carried extra significance beyond simply advancing in the tournament. "For Portuguese fans this is a very happy day and also because of the meaning of the game, we've moved to the next phase, to the round of 16," Martinez said.

Jota, who played for Liverpool, and his brother Andre Silva were killed on July 3 last year when their car crashed in Spain as the striker drove back to England to report for pre-season training. His death shook the football world, with tributes pouring in from teammates, rivals and fans alike. Portugal had already paid homage to Jota earlier in the tournament, when a black-and-white photograph of him was displayed on the giant screen at the stadium in Houston ahead of the team's opening game against the Democratic Republic of Congo, a quiet but powerful reminder of the player they lost.

Where to watch and live stream Portugal's FIFA World Cup 2026 matches?

Portugal's knockout matches in FIFA World Cup 2026 will be aired LIVE across WION's sister company Zee5 app and website. (link: https://www.zee5.com/)